...and the one son who turns out to be just as toxic as the rest of the family he's purporting to bring back together. So, everyone's back, and it's like the five years between seasons has never passed! Narrative-wise, that is.posted by not_on_display (17 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite

I'm two episodes in, and so far, the distracting thing is how they are trying to continue along the same timeline without interruption... but the whole cast looks like they've aged way, way out of their roles. Other than that, it's the same twisted frustrating intricate hot mess of a plot as it ever was, at least so far.

I didn't know the controversy with Tambor being a jerk had surfaced before I started watching it, but I always suspected Tambor was a jerk anyway. I get the feeling that most of the cast are IRL jerks, but I have little to really go on, it's just a suspicion. So, why am I watching this? The lulz?

omg that sequence in the first episode or two where they cut from season four Michael Cera to season five Michael Cera was basically a memento mori. don’t know what he’s been up to but it obviously hasn’t been good for himposted by sixswitch at 7:12 PM on June 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

> where they cut from season four Michael Cera to season five Michael Cera was basically a memento mori.

Same with Will Arnett! After more light soul-searching, I did watch Episode 3 last night because I want to see what happens. I still feel like the plot is kinda pedaling in place, though.

I think Maeby's makeup totally complements George Maharris's aging visage (and Alia totally plays the role of an Active Lifestyle resident to a T), so that Michael Cera doesn't look so out-of-place when he's in that setting.

But ask me what the plot is, and ... ? I watch it before bed, and like a dream, upon waking, it dissipates.posted by not_on_display at 8:57 AM on June 9, 2018

Is this season actually dependent on its (very dull) plotline, or does it just seem that way because the laughs just aren’t there? Either way, it’s way, way off the mark. GOB and Tobias, in particular, are completely off track and are so badly written they’re almost unrecognizable. The original run was so precise, and so perfectly energized, that when it loses its coordination it feels like a different show, which is no show at all. Plus did I mention it isn’t funny? Oy gevalt.posted by argybarg at 4:33 PM on June 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

My wife and I are watching and have also both Expressed Concern about Will Arnett. He doesn't look healthy, and the desperate bearding plot isn't helping.posted by sapere aude at 8:44 PM on June 10, 2018

Will Arnett is very orange. And yeah, what was said above with Michael Cera, who started really looking old in that one scene. Yikes.

The green screen for Lindsay is just weird. I know she retired but green screen? Still? Was anyone harassing her so she wanted to avoid other humans? Now I am still wondering.

Maeby is, as usual to me, the best on that show. She's worth watching, I dunno on the rest of it so much these days. I was amused at her with George Michael and the "Howard red" and his going to the Howard BBQ.

I watched the first eight episodes. Is that all there are? It sure didn't seem like a complete season.

I might have to re-watch to figure out exactly what happened, but it JUST WASN'T FUNNY.

Even compared to Season 4. The "remix" actually made me appreciate S4 a bit more and look forward to 5. But there's just nothing there.

The only time I laughed was a few times at Ron Howard's narrations.

The characters all seemed wrong. Jeffrey Tambor especially seemed kind of sad and there-against-his-will. (I'm not all that happy about him being there either, to be fair.) Gob was way off. Michael seemed more like a bastard, where he was able to maintain likability before. Tobias doesn't work somehow.

And situations that seemed like guaranteed funny just didn't work. For example, Buster in prison. Remember Tobias in prison, where it turned out way differently than you'd expect? I can imagine a bunch of hilarious Buster-in-prison storylines, but they didn't do anything with it. It seemed to be more of an excuse for Buster to not be in some of the episodes, much like Lindsay.posted by mmoncur at 2:49 AM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

> I watched the first eight episodes. Is that all there are? It sure didn't seem like a complete season.

No, this was the first half of this season. The remaining eight episodes should be available sometime later this year. I agree that this was confusing. I felt like I spent the whole time waiting for something to click into place, and then it was over.posted by bjrn at 11:00 AM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

My kids and I messaged as we binged it and for the first few episodes we were all dumbstruck at how weird and disconnected it all was. It wasn't until the very last episode that I got a glimmer of the old sense of humor. But the greenscreened Lindsay and haha Gob is gay plot were unbearable to watch. David Cross seemed to serve no purpose and enough with Rebel Alley already. So many boring subplots and so little tying anything together. Super disappointed.posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:06 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Overall nowhere near the verve and jam packed concision of the first run, and even S4 was consistently much funnier. The "Mexican Romney Family" audio cue did get me, even though it made me miss the much greater use of cue-humour in seasons past.posted by Jon Mitchell at 9:38 PM on June 12, 2018

Halfway through the first half, there were a couple/ few clever bits that I enjoyed but it felt tired.

Maybe I've had one or three too much but I kept seeing Rudy Giuliani in every one of Jeffrey Tambor's scenes.

Shame about allegations of Tambor being a jerk, his work on 'Transparent' was better than it strictly had to be while definitely having its flaws.

George Michael's 'American tourist in Mexico' isn't wrong, but they did it in a safe milquetoast way.posted by porpoise at 9:38 PM on June 13, 2018

Finally finished the eighth episode last night.

Really, there is nothing compelling me to continue watching this when the next half of the season is delivered—even the feeling like I'm rooting for a once-great but now-losing team, hoping for a comeback? From what they've given me to go on, that doesn't seem likely.

(This also happened to me with the final season of the Australian "Kath & Kim", and is currently happening with "Trailer Park Boys" Season 10... TPB's become so off-the-mark that I am not even bothering. Pour one out for Mister Leahy.)posted by not_on_display at 10:43 AM on June 14, 2018

I felt like I spent the whole time waiting for something to click into place, and then it was over.

That was exactly my sentiment: some stuff happened, and then the (half) season ended.

Alia Shawkat was fantastic, some of the individual bits were good (the lie relay while stuck in traffic at the border; the very chill closet store guys; the keystone cops gag), but overall the (half) season so far felt lacking in laughs and also muddled in plotting. I'd like to hope that the back half of the episodes are better, but it doesn't really feel like they're building up to anything.posted by cjelli at 8:42 AM on June 18, 2018 [3 favorites]

So go ahead and drop half a season of this and the other half "sometime later"... I've been wondering if sometime later meant three weeks but apparently it's at least three months. I mean with my memory I already don't remember this year's plot. This and the "once a month Letterman" drop style don't work. I just forget. I say to myself "this is released so rarely that there is no point in getting interested in it/looking forward to it". TV <> fine wine.

There is a reason people binge things because they like it and it's on their mind and if they have an hour to kill they say well how about some more of that so the sloooow release style on netflix is just annoying and>posted by sylvanshine at 2:54 PM on October 9, 2018